Numbers 4:3

Numbers 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
• New International Version (NIV)Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
• English Standard Version (ESV)from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
• New King James Version (NKJV)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.

Context of Numbers 4:3

1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2“Take a census of the Levites who are descended from Kohath. List them by families and households. Register all the men between the ages of 30 and 50 who are qualified to work at the tent of meeting. 4“This is the work the Kohathites will do in the tent of meeting: They will take care of the most holy things. 5When the camp is supposed to move, Aaron and his sons will go in and take down the canopy that hangs over the ark containing the words of God’s promise. First they will cover the ark with the canopy.

Numbers 4:3 word by word

מִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־בָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מְלָאכָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• From thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
• and upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
• even until fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• all that enterבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: dutyH6635
• to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• the workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• in the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150

Cross-references for Numbers 4:3

• Numbers 8:24“These are the instructions for the Levites: Men 25 years old or older are eligible to serve at the tent of meeting.
• Genesis 41:46Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He left Pharaoh and traveled all around Egypt.
• 1 Chronicles 23:3Every male Levite who was at least 30 years old was counted. There were 38,000.
• 1 Chronicles 28:12He gave him plans for the courtyards of the Lord’s temple and for all the rooms around it. (These rooms served as treasuries for God’s temple and the gifts dedicated to God.)
• Luke 3:23Jesus was about 30 years old when he began ⌞his ministry⌟. Jesus, so people thought, was the son of Joseph, son of Eli,
• 1 Timothy 3:6He must not be a new Christian, or he might become arrogant like the devil and be condemned.
• 2 Kings 11:4In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada sent for the company commanders of the Carites and the guards and had them come to him in the Lord’s temple. He made an agreement with them, put them under oath in the Lord’s temple, and showed them the king’s son.
• 2 Chronicles 23:1In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada strengthened his position by making an agreement with the company commanders: Azariah, son of Jeroham, Ishmael, son of Jehohanan, Azariah, son of Obed, Maaseiah, son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat, son of Zichri.
• 2 Corinthians 10:3Of course we are human, but we don’t fight like humans.
• Ephesians 6:10Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength.
• 1 Timothy 1:18Timothy, my child, I’m giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war.
• Numbers 3:7They will work for him and the whole community in front of the tent of meeting, doing what needs to be done for the inner tent.
• Numbers 16:9Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the community of Israel? The Lord has brought you near himself to do the work for his tent and stand in front of the community to serve them.
• 1 Chronicles 6:48Their relatives, the Levites, were assigned all the other duties in the tent, the house of God.
• 1 Chronicles 23:4Of these, 24,000 were appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple, 6,000 were appointed to be officers and judges,
• 1 Timothy 3:1This is a statement that can be trusted: If anyone sets his heart on being a bishop, he desires something excellent.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3From thirty years old - In Numbers 8:24, the Levites are ordered to enter on the service of the tabernacle at the age of twenty-five years; and in 1 Chronicles 23:24, they were ordered to commence that work at twenty years of age. How can these different times be reconciled? At the time of which Moses speaks here, the Levitical service was exceedingly severe, and consequently required men full grown, strong, and stout, to perform it; the age therefore of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Out of the 22,000 Levites, only men aged thirty to fifty could serve in the sanctuary (3:39). This was because they were most capable at this time of their lives. 4:34–49 lists 8,580 qualified males. This is the summary of this registration, another "numbering."Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-492-3. sons of Kohath, from thirty years old and upward--This age was specifically fixed (see on Nu 8:24) as the full maturity of bodily energy to perform the laborious duties assigned them in the wilderness, as well as of mental activity to assist in the management of the sacred services. And it was the period of life at which John the Baptist and Christ entered on their respective ministries. even unto fifty--The term prescribed for active duty was a…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 4:3

• Levites

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• David
• Kohathites
• Levite
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• Agrapha
• Alexander
• Apocrypha

Commentaries on Numbers 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings